A Dinner to Die For
by BreadThief98
Summary: When an undercover recon mission at a fancy dinner party takes a deadly turn, Kanan and Ezra are caught up in a murder case. However, the killer is cunning and elusive and the case becomes a matter of life and death. Now, Kanan and Ezra, along with the other guests, must catch the killer before the killer catches them.
1. Prologue: Preparations for a Party

_**Happy Halloween everyone! I had this idea for a very long time and I finally got around to writing it. This is a murder mystery fic loosely based off of Clue, my favorite board game and murder mystery movie. Please bear with me, as I am not the best at writing mysteries. Without further ado, enjoy this prologue!**_

 _ **This story is rated T for blood, murder, violence, and other stuff.**_

 _ **Edit: I fixed the word screw up. Sorry for any confusion. I should have caught it before.**_

* * *

On the planet Naboo, a large mansion sat comfortably in the middle of nowhere. It was large, spacious, and left alone, just as Ismene Curtis liked it. Except, it wouldn't be left alone tonight. An anonymous senator, who, strangely enough, was unknown even to the Empire, had given her a guest list and asked her to host a dinner party. Ismene wanted to object to the idea, but as an imperial agent, she didn't exactly have a choice. Ismene sighed as she stood in front of the giant mirror at the entrance of her home. She was what people would describe as beautiful, with light tan skin, chocolate brown hair, and deep brown eyes with dark gold flecks. Ismene hated dresses but since this dinner party was formal, she gave in and bought a silky red dress that had a sheer collar and sleeves. She also wore red flats and a golden pendant her mother gave her when she was younger. When she deemed herself ready, Ismene took one last look at the data pad that held the guest list.

 **Dinner Party Guest List**

 **Eden Lark**

 **Skyle Avery**

 **Aversa Corrin**

 **Xander Fyre**

 **Soren River**

 **Tybalt River**

She didn't know any of the guests personally. One thing she did know was that Soren would be the youngest of the guests, only being seventeen. She never liked alcohol and Soren was a good excuse not to provide any, as the legal drinking age on Naboo is twenty-one. She did, however, cook all of the food and set the table herself. She was the only one living in the mansion and while it was hard keeping it clean on her own, she most definitely enjoyed it. She headed into the hallway, which was painted and adorned with gold, completed with a crystal chandelier. Ismene spent the next hour making sure everything was prepared until she heard a knock on the door. The first guest had arrived.

* * *

 _ **The prologue was short, yes, but it was just setting up the plot. I hope you guys like Ismene. She is an OC I'm very proud of. I think her character will turn out nicely. There are other OCs coming up. Some you may love, some you may hate. Let me know what you think!**_


	2. Enter the Guests

_**Hey all! Here is the first official chapter of A Dinner to Die For! Enjoy your day of Candy and Cosplay! Me? I'll probably do adult trick-or-treating and walk into a store with a $20 and buy the candy on sale.**_

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Ezra asked. "I mean, we don't know this Ismene. Plus, she's an imperial. Won't she recognize us?"

"Maybe dressed normally," Kanan replied, "but you said it yourself. Sabine must have done a good job for us to have not been recognized already."

Kanan was right. Sabine had been the one to find the disguises and to make the two Jedi virtually unrecognizable. Ezra donned a grey shirt with sliver trim on the sleeves and shoulders. He wore black pants and black boots. Additionally, his hair was dyed a dark brown. Over it, he wore a dark grey beanie. Kanan wore a forest green shirt and navy pants with brown shoes. His hair was dyed the same color as Ezra's. He had shaved his mustache, leaving only the beard. His mask was gone, exposing the cybernetic implants that replaced his eyes. They had left their weapons on board the _Phantom 2.0_ , where Hera was currently waiting to get them out if needed, to avoid being recognized, which Ezra objected to.

 _"We just have to trust that the contact knows what she's doing,"_ Hera had told him.

The two were currently in a small transport headed to the mansion. Ezra, of course, was driving.

"Do you remember our cover?"

Ezra nodded. "I'm Soren River. I'm your son and I am on vacation from the Imperial Academy on Lothal. I'm not much into sports but I enjoy music. You're my father, Tybalt River. You used to work as a technician for the Imperial Shipyard on Lothal until you were blinded in an accident. You see with advanced optics provided by the Empire but you're still on medical leave. Since we both have some time off, we decided to take a vacation to Naboo because it is a beautiful planet and perfect for vacation. At least I'll be able to sell a little bit of it perfectly."

"I don't like the cover story either," Kanan replied, "but we need that information. These people carry some weight with the government here on Naboo."

"Which is why I don't like this idea," Ezra retorted. "Like you said, these people carry some serious juice with the Empire. How are we supposed to defend ourselves if we're busted?"

"I have my comlink on me. Hera will be down here in the new _Phantom_ within a few minutes if we need her."

"Okay," Ezra said, not convinced.

Kanan reached over from the passenger seat of the transport and rested his hand on Ezra's shoulder as they pulled up to the mansion. "It'll be fine, Ezra."

Ezra nodded and took a deep breath. "We're here."

Ezra parked the transport and climbed out. He walked to the other side and helped Kanan do the same. Kanan wrapped his arm around Ezra's shoulder and the two walked to the door. "This place is huge," Ezra breathed.

"Remember what we talked about Soren," Kanan said softly, getting into the act.

"Speak only when spoken to, I know Dad," Ezra replied.

Ezra knocked on the door and waited. A few seconds later, a young woman wearing a red dress answered the door.

"Welcome," the woman greeted. "You must be Tybalt River."

Kanan nodded. "Yes. I'm Tybalt River." Kanan motioned to Ezra. "This is my son, Soren. Thank you for inviting us."

The woman nodded. "Of course. Pleased to meet you. I'm Ismene. You're right on time. The other guests are already here."

Ezra was shocked upon seeing the hall. It was practically sparkling, thanks to the natural sunlight flitting through the windows and the crystal chandelier.

"Wow…" Ezra breathed.

Kanan chuckled. "Come on, Soren."

The two Jedi followed Ismene into the dining hall. Everyone was already seated. On the left, there was a red Twi'lek donning a sleeveless back dress with black net-like bands around her arms and her lekku. Next to her, there was a human male dressed in a grey uniform typical of an imperial officer. He had pale skin and grey eyes. There was no hair on his head and he seemed very cool and collected. He looked very uncomfortable next to the Twi'lek. There was an empty seat next to him. The plate in front of that seat had a tag on it that read "Soren River."

On the right side of the table, there was a nervous looking Rodian man wearing a white shirt and grey pants with green skin and blue eyes. Next to him was a human woman with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a white dress. The seat across from the empty one was also empty, except this time, it was labeled "Tybalt River."

Ezra and Kanan took their seats and Ismene started towards the kitchen. "Let me get the food," she said.

It was silent for a moment before the Imperial officer broke the ice. "So what's your name, kid?" he asked, turning to Ezra.

Ezra perked up nervously and turned to Kanan, who nodded.

"My name's Soren River," Ezra replied quietly.

The officer narrowed his eyes for a moment, causing Ezra's heart to pound. "Shy one, is he?" he asked, turning to Kanan.

"He's just nervous," Kanan replied with a chuckle. "He hasn't been to one of these things before."

"Really?" the man asked. Ezra suddenly felt like he was being interrogated. "You plan to work for the Empire someday?"

"Yes," Ezra replied. "I'm actually on vacation right now. I want to become a Stormtrooper so I can serve the Empire to the best of my ability." Blast it! How did those words come out so easily? He felt bile rise in his throat but he swallowed quickly. Kanan seemed to sense how uncomfortable Ezra was getting so he jumped in. "You look like an officer," he said. "What do you do?"

"I work on a Star Destroyer," the man replied. "Tybalt, is it?"

"It is."

"My name is Xander Fyre. I'm a commander for the Imperial Navy. What do you do for a living? And what's with your eyes?"

Kanan sensed a pang of remorse come from his padawan. He sent a probe through the Force to calm him down before speaking. "I worked at a shipyard," Kanan replied. "There was an accident about a year ago. I took a piece of metal to the face. I got my eyes replaced but they still have me on medical leave for the time being."

"Sorry to hear that," the human woman said. "My name is Skyle Avery. I don't work for the Empire directly, but I serve them a lot in a small café I own. I collect information and report possible insurgencies. I think there's a senator who does the same thing on Lothal. I think his name is Gall Trayvis."

Ezra had to try so hard not to growl. He still couldn't believe the senator's treachery. Trayvis had gotten his parents arrested when he was seven, which in turn led to their deaths nine years later. A year had passed since the death of his parents and it still hurt. Another calming wave from Kanan got him focused once again.

"You may call me Aversa," the Twi'lek said from the table.

"Aversa! Remember what we talked about?" Xander growled.

"My apologies sir," Aversa replied.

"I apologize for my attendant," Xander said. "Her name is Aversa. The Rodian is my other attendant. His name is Eden Lark. He is more well behaved than the other one."

Both Kanan and Ezra flinched at the treatment of Aversa. Kanan took a deep breath and sighed. This man was definitely imperial.

"I never did ask," Xander said. "How did you like that girl I set up for you, Eden?"

"The dinner was fine," Eden replied. "The best I had in years. However, while I appreciate the effort you gave in finding a suitor for me, she wasn't exactly…polite."

"Polite?" Xander asked, raising a grey eyebrow.

"She seemed so bitter. Kept rambling about the guy she last broke up with. I don't think she was ready for another date."

"She said she was," Xander growled. "I'm sorry Eden. Must have been a knife to the heart."

Eden nodded. "Yes sir."

"Well, you know what they say. Third time's the charm."

The conversation was ended when Ismene walked out, pushing a long silver tray. "Feel free to serve yourself," she said with a smile.

The guests stood and began to serve themselves.

* * *

 _ **Please tell me what you think of the OCs! Who do you think will kick off the events of the story? Who are you going as for Halloween? Why is the sky blue?**_ _ **Why am I asking this many questions?**_

 _ **Happy Halloween everyone! Please be safe!**_


	3. A Body on the Floor

_**I'm back! And it is finally starting to (hopefully) cool off where I live. It was 90 yesterday. 90 on November 1st? Something is not right here and as someone who loves the heat and hates the cold, if I'm complaining, then it is getting ridiculous. Anyway, as you probably can tell, someone will die this chapter! Who will it be?**_

* * *

Ezra had lived on the streets for eight years, struggling to survive and feed himself. That all changed when he joined the crew. For once, he was well fed and Hera even created a diet for him that would both suit the crew's budget and get Ezra the nutrients he had been deprived of for so long. He had seen Empire Day Banquets, but the food was boring and tasteless at best. This was probably the fanciest food he had seen in years.

The long tray was filled with an abundance of food. There were mashed potatoes with the skins still inside and doused with a brown gravy, an entire bird overflowing with stuffing, a variety of cheeses, nerf meat tips simmering in a pot, three pots filled with soup, a chocolate fountain surrounded by marshmallows, fruits, and perfectly round spheres of cookie dough. There was also an enormous cake covered with blue marble like icing.

"You made all this?" Ezra breathed, temporarily forgetting his cover.

"Soren," Kanan warned.

Ismene chuckled. "It's alright Tybalt. Yes, I did. Don't just stand there. Dig in."

"There's so much," Skyle breathed. "I don't think I'll be able to eat it all."

"It's fine," Ismene said. "I always enjoyed cooking so I think I overdid it a little."

"You did just fine," Kanan reassured.

Ezra soon found himself with a piece of meat from the bird, some nerf meat, a helping of mashed potatoes, some cheese, and a bowl of green soup with vegetables. When he sat back at the table, he placed his napkin in his lap and began to eat. The food was amazing, especially the soup, which tasted like springtime.

Everyone sat in blissful silence as they ate. Suddenly, Skyle coughed, swallowing thickly and turning red from embarrassment. Ismene chuckled. "You okay there?"

"I'm fine," Skyle chuckled.

"It wouldn't do your business much good if you choked to death," Xander said, a smile on his face.

"No kidding," Skyle replied. "I haven't had people die in my store before. It would be very ironic if I were the first to go."

"You said you got reports on potential treason," Kanan began. "What exactly happens to those people. I've never heard of such a business before."

"Well, if I hear something off, whether it is whispers of insurgency or just flat out talking mess about the Empire," Skyle began, "I report it to my superior. I have all of their information on their tab so the Empire knows where to find them. They then simply disappear."

"Where is this business based?"

"On Naboo. My friend runs a similar joint on Christophsis. I won't tell if you won't tell."

Kanan nodded and smiled. "Interesting."

* * *

As soon as everyone was done eating, Ismene cleared the plates. "Feel free to roam around the mansion. Just don't get lost and don't break anything. If you need me, I'll be in the parlor."

After Ismene left, Xander turned to his two attendants. "You two may roam free as long as you come when I call you. If I hear about any misconduct, there will be consequences."

Eden and Aversa nodded and walked away, walking in two separate directions. When they were out of earshot, Skyle spoke. "Why are you helping your attendant find a significant other anyway?"

"Because he deserves it. Poor guy's nervous when he's lonely. I could care less about Aversa though. She doesn't take well to discipline."

Skyle shrugged and walked away.

"So you're in the Imperial Navy?" Kanan asked, trying to get some information.

"I am," Xander replied. "I have some time off, but after that, I'm being transferred to Lothal. Something big is happening there and I have been enlisted to help. I'm actually going to be on the ocean, so it should be quite an adventure."

"What is this big project?"

Xander smiled. "If I told you, I'd have to kill you." He turned and left without another word.

When he was gone, Kanan turned to Ezra. "Well, do you want to look around?"

"Love too," Ezra replied.

The two Jedi wandered around the halls for a few hours, hoping to find someone to question. "This place is huge," Ezra whispered. "It's beautiful too."

"I'll bet." Kanan would have to ask Ezra to describe it later, or else he would blow the cover about his eyes.

"I feel bad for Eden," Ezra continued, trying to keep up the conversation. This hall was two quiet and too large. Conversation kept him from being too overwhelmed.

"I do too," Kanan replied. "It must have been a bad breakup for him to feel like he got a knife to the-"

Suddenly, a scream tore through the halls. "Karabast! What was that?" Ezra cried.

Kanan and Ezra took off towards the direction of the scream, followed by Aversa, Xander, and Ismene. When they reached the source of the scream, they stopped. Upon seeing the body shaped outline through the Force, Kanan sucked in a breath.

"Oh karabast…" Ezra breathed, holding his hands to his mouth.

Skyle was pressed against the wall, pale as a sheet, seemed ready to have a full-blown panic attack. "He…He…He…"

Xander just stood there in shock. Aversa had a hand clamped over her mouth. "Oh my stars…"

Kanan gasped when he realized what his Force Sight was trying to tell him. Eden was laying on the ground in a pool of his own blood.

Kanan didn't need his sight to know the Rodian was dead.

* * *

 _ **RIP Eden. You were an amazing OC even though you only lasted two chapters. Feel free to leave obituaries in the reviews. Eden will be missed.**_


	4. Everyone's a Suspect

_**Eden's ghost would like to thank you for all of the kind thoughts. He wants you all to know that he is doing well and is still looking for a girlfriend. Also, Ezra's medic training from Nightfall comes into play here.  
**_

* * *

"I don't get it," Ismene muttered as she scrubbed the security footage. "He was killed in the study but the cameras were turned off in the mansion for several hours before the murder. And, there's no sign of a break on either. The guests were in the basement, trying to piece together what just happened. In another room, Eden's body was wrapped in a sheet. Skyle was lying on a spare cot that Xander had pulled put for her. A few minutes after Kanan and Ezra had found her, she had fainted. Xander sat next to her, pressing a cold cloth to her forehead. Kanan stood in the corner, deep in thought. Ismene sat in a chair in front of several monitors, with Aversa and Ezra behind her.

"Why would anyone do this?" Skyle muttered as she sat up. She turned so her back was against the wall. Xander handed her a bottle of water. "Thanks."

Xander nodded and went to look at the monitor. "So there's no sign of a break in?" Xander asked.

"No, there wasn't," Ismene verified.

"You know what that means right?" Xander growled.

"Now, Xander," Kanan said carefully. "Let's not jump to conclusions here."

"I think I have every damn right to jump to conclusions, Tybalt!" Xander retorted. "One of us is the murderer! One of us killed Eden!"

"You don't know that," Ezra replied. "Someone could have snuck in earlier."

"The evidence is all there!" Xander yelled. "If someone snuck in before the party, why didn't the cameras catch it? Everyone's a suspect here, and we're all in the same room!"

"You're getting paranoid, sir," Aversa said carefully.

"Shut up, Aversa! I have every right to be paranoid! We have a killer loose in here and I could be killed at any moment."

"Xander," Ismene said. "Calm down. Get a drink of water."

"I don't want to get a drink of kriffing water!"

Ismene stood up and slapped Xander across the face, hard.

"How dare-"

"Pull it together!" Ismene yelled. "You aren't helping things by throwing a hissy fit and acting like a child!"

Xander growled, but forced himself to calm down.

"So what do we do?" Skyle asked. "Do we call the stormtroopers?"

"So they can what?" Ismene replied. "The Empire is great and all, but they'll keep us all here since like Xander said, we're all suspects. We'll call them, but we don't need to wait for hours, especially alone in a room with the murderer. We should probably solve this one our own first."

"How?" Skyle asked. "There was no murder weapon and we don't have the fancy schmancy equipment the detectives have!"

"And if the murderer is one of us like Xander said," Aversa added, "how do you know they won't stop at Eden?"

"Are you stupid?" Xander snapped. "The plan is simple. We find the murderer before the murderer finds us."

"Hold on," Kanan snapped. "You're going to put all of us in danger? Put Soren in danger?"

"It's the only option," Xander replied.

"He's right, Dad," Ezra replied.

Kanan growled. "Fine…"

"So what's our first move?"

"Simple," Ismene replied. "We check the scene of the crime."

The guests headed towards the study, where Eden's body lay undisturbed, minus the sheet draped over it. Ismene pulled the sheet off and the investigation began.

"Well," Ismene began, "whoever killed Eden took the weapon. Used a pretty small blade.."

"Smart," Xander mused. He adopted a confused expression when everyone turned to look at him. "What? I was merely making a point."

"The wound was in his upper chest," Ezra said as he examined the wound. "Definitely a stab wound. Judging by the location of the wound and the amount of blood on his shirt and in the room, my guess is that he got hit in a major artery. Killed him instantly."

"How do you know?" Xander asked.

"See that blood over there?" Ezra replied, pointing at the wall. "If the body wasn't moved, which is probably wasn't, the blood from the stab wound shot out at least ten to twenty feet. That much blood loss in a short time is all it takes."

"That bad?" Skyle asked.

"Whoever did this hit him just right," Ezra explained. "And if the blade is small like Ismene said, this person is skilled with a knife."

"Ismene, you said whoever did this took the weapon," Aversa said.

"Correct," Ismene replied.

"So if we were to empty our pockets, whoever has the knife would be the murderer, right?"

"Aversa…" Xander warned.

"I think that's a good idea," Kanan said. "I've got nothing to hide."

One by one, the guests turned out their pockets. Nothing was found.

"Aversa," Xander snapped. "That was entirely unnecessary!"

"It was a good idea," Skyle defended. "What if someone did have the knife."

"So what now?" Kanan asked.

"We should probably look around the mansion," Ismene replied. "Maybe find some clues."

"We should split up into groups," Xander added. "Groups of three."

"And what if one of us ends up with the murderer?" Skyle replied.

"Then at least we'll know who the murderer is," Xander said.

"You'd risk our lives like that?" Skyle cried.

"What choice do we have?" Xander snapped.

"I agree with Xander," Ezra said.

"Soren, this plan is too risky!" Kanan retorted. "What if you get killed?"

"Like Xander said," Ezra replied cooly. "We'd know who did this. Dad, I'll be fine."

Kanan sighed. "Okay, but you're staying with me."

"I'll go with them," Skyle added.

"So that means Aversa, Xander, and I are together," Ismene said. "I'll leave the cameras on so we can check back and see if anything strange happened."

"Eyes in the sky…" Kanan mused. "Good plan."

"Everyone has comlinks, right?" Ismene asked.

Everyone nodded and left the basement. As the group began to split up, they turned to each other.

"Good luck," Ismene said.

"You too," Kanan replied.

The two groups separated.

* * *

 _ **Let the investigation begin.  
**_


	5. Like a Tomb

_**Hopefully this one will be more exciting than the last.**_

* * *

As Kanan, Ezra, and Skyle walked down the hallways of the mansion, it was too quiet. The silence became eerier when a whirring sound echoed through the empty halls.

Ezra and Skyle looked up and found that the camera had powered off.

"So much for eyes in the sky," Ezra muttered.

Skyle pulled out her comlink. "Ismene, we lost the cameras."

 _"I noticed,"_ Ismene replied. _"I'm heading to the basement to fix them now. It'll be a few minutes though."_

"Copy that," Skyle replied.

The three humans stopped, waiting until the cameras were back on line in order to continue.

"Well, if a murder is going to happen," Skyle sighed, "now would be the perfect time."

"Can we talk about something else?" Ezra sighed.

"You said you owned a café/spy ring?" Kanan asked.

Skyle sighed. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Sure," Kanan replied.

"It wasn't supposed to be a spy ring," Skyle replied. "I just wanted to own a business is all. But in the city I'm from, you don't just own a business. If you aren't with the Empire in some way shape or form, you're considered useless to society and you disappear. I had to turn people in, and not just to protect myself. They'll take people, even if they are innocent, if I miss a report. I know this is not the case in all places, but where I'm from, the government is very corrupt."

Ezra's face softened. He could sense that this woman was being sincere. He had completely misjudged her. Skyle was not a spy or killer like Gall Trayvis. She was just someone who suffered under the reign of the Empire. Skyle stood up and sighed. "That's all I feel comfortable talking about. Can we change the subject?"

Ezra nodded and stood. Kanan followed him. They stood at the windows. "I wonder how the others are holding up," Skyle mused.

"If Aversa and Xander were smart, they'd be with Ismene," Kanan replied. "We can't trust anyone right now."

"Yeah," Ezra agreed. "Breaking up the group right now would be a bad idea."

"Should we keep moving?" Skyle asked. "It's not like the cameras going back on would change anything. I don't think the murderer would be stupid enough to kill right now."

Kanan nodded and they headed down the hall. Suddenly, Kanan and Ezra paused.

"Skyle!" Ezra yelled.

Skyle didn't stop in time.

* * *

"Stang!" Ismene cried. "Whoever took out the cameras completely fried them. I can't even recover the footage."

"But we're all together," Xander mused. "So that means…"

"Whoever cut the cameras was either Skyle, Tybalt, or Tybalt's kid," Ismene said. "Let me comm them. See where they are."

When Ismene turned on the comlink, an explosion shook the manor. "What was that?" Xander breathed.

The three ran outside and saw smoke coming from the hallway. "Soren? Tybalt? Skyle? We heard an explosion. Is everything alright?"

 _"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!"_

 _"Skyle! Hang on!"_

Ismene's eyes widened. "Come on!"

The three ran upstairs to the source of the explosion. The sprinklers were going off on the ceiling, extinguishing the fire. On the floor, there was a broken tripwire. Ezra was lying on the ground, groaning softly. Kanan was leaning out of a shattered window, hanging on to a screaming Skyle for dear life.

"Help me!" Kanan yelled.

Xander, Ismene, and Aversa scrambled to Kanan's side. Together, they pulled Skyle to safety. Ismene held Skyle in her arms as the woman trembled.

Kanan rushed to Ezra's side and helped him sit up. "You okay?" he asked.

Ezra nodded. "I think so…" Kanan helped his padawan up and the group merged, except for Ismene, who moved towards what was left of the broken tripwire.

"Well, we know you three aren't the killers," Xander said.

"What makes you say that?" Kanan asked. "And how do we know one of you isn't the killer?"

The tension in the air increased tenfold. "Well I'm not sticking around," Xander snapped.

"You're not going anywhere until we find the killer!" Ismene snapped.

"I'm not the killer!" Xander yelled. "For all we know, a dark spirit could be the killer! I'm not sticking around to be next! I'm not!"

"Right behind you sir!" Aversa stated.

"No one is going anywhere!" Kanan yelled.

"Screw you all!" Xander yelled. "I am not dying here! Aversa, let's go!"

"XANDER!" Skyle yelled.

Ismene, Skyle, Kanan, and Ezra followed the two Imperials to the entry hall. Xander stepped in front of the door, but it didn't open.

"What the heck?" Xander muttered.

He jumped.

Nothing.

He jumped again.

Still nothing.

"No! No!" Xander cried. "Ismene, unlock the door this instant."

Ismene just stood there, puzzled. "I didn't…I didn't lock it…"

"Well, that's a very smart idea when there is a murderer on the loose!" Xander yelled.

"Well, if anyone took off, we'd know who did it, right?" Ismene retorted.

"Stop!" Kanan snapped. "Arguing like this isn't going to do any good. Now who locked us in here?"

No one answered. Ezra turned to Ismene. "How are the doors controlled?"

"The doors are controlled through a panel in the side room, but I can lock them and unlock them with a remote. I put the remote away before the party started…unless someone found it…"

The guests ran towards where Ismene put the remote, only to find it scorched and sparking, along with the panel.

"Are you serious?" Ismene cried. "Who did this?"

"They've sealed us in here like a tomb…" Xander muttered.

"We were all together," Kanan replied. "No one got separated."

"So there is another person inside?"

"I don't think so," Ismene replied. "I would have seen he or she come in. Of course, I don't think I know anything anymore. This is getting more and more confusing and dangerous. I guess we can assume the house is booby trapped, which will make things more difficult."

"So what now?" Skyle asked.

"We should continue to investigate," Aversa pointed out.

"You can investigate!" Xander yelled. "Get killed for all I care! I will not be responsible for hauling your carcasses out of this blasted death house."

"What the hell is your problem?" Ezra snapped.

"Soren…" Kanan warned

"I'm sorry, Dad, but this guy is getting on my last nerve! There is a killer on the loose here and you're acting like a scared kriffing mynock!"

"I have to agree with Soren on this one," Ismene said. "You need to chill out. You aren't helping and your behavior is only going to get us all killed."

Xander rolled his eyes. "You know, I didn't sign up for a blasted murder party. I'm going to try to find a way out of here."

"Let him go," Ismene sighed when she saw Aversa about to go after him. "He's either going to come back or get himself killed. No use getting yourself killed along with him."

"But he's my responsibility, even if he does treat me like bantha fodder," Aversa replied.

"We'll defend you if something happens to him," Skyle vowed. "If he dies, it's his own blasted fault."

Ezra looked up at Kanan. He didn't want to let Xander die, Imperial or not, especially with the mission they were leading. Kanan nodded at him. "I agree with Aversa," he said, trying not to sound reluctant. "The more hands we have working for us, the better."

Ismene rolled her eyes. "What do you propose we do then?"

"We should split up," Skyle suggested.

"Again?" Kanan asked.

"It makes logical sense," Skyle replied. "We cover more ground, we find the idiot, and if we find a booby trap, we can disable it and warn others."

"If we don't see the booby traps?" Aversa asked.

"Then at least we won't take each other out with them."

"That's a great selling point," Aversa sighed.

"Do you have a better plan?" Skyle was met with silence.

"All right," Ismene said, slightly unsure. "Keep your comlinks on, yeah? First person who finds Xander gets to slap him into next year."

Everyone nodded and split up once again. Kanan grabbed Ezra's arm. "You're with me."

Ezra nodded. "I'd feel better than way."

The two Jedi headed down the hall and resumed the investigation.

* * *

 _ **Hey! Skyle lives! And she's not so bad after all! Tell me who you're favorite OC is. I genuinely want to know!  
**_


	6. Finding a Pattern

_**Fair warning, this chapter's a bit bloody. I apologize in advance if I confuse any of you throughout the story. To be honest, I confused myself a few times.  
**_

* * *

About two hours into the investigation, night was starting to fall. The lights came on, but it only served to add to the eeriness of the situation. It didn't bother Kanan for obvious reasons. Plus, he was more concerned about Ezra, who had been unusually silent the entire walk. "Something on your mind?"

Ezra sighed. "When we decided to do this, I wasn't expecting…" Ezra's voice trailed off.

"I completely understand," Kanan replied. "I wasn't expecting a murder mystery either."

"What if one of us gets killed?" Ezra asked nervously.

Kanan stopped and placed both of his hands on top of Ezra's shoulders. "Don't say that. We're going to make it out of this alive."

Suddenly, a scream ripped through the air.

"Karabast!" Kanan cried. "That sounded like Aversa!"

The two ran in the direction of the scream and found Aversa. She wasn't dead, but she was pinned underneath a statue. "Help me!" she cried. Behind her, a broken tripwire dangled from the wall.

Together, Kanan and Ezra pulled Aversa from underneath the statue. "Are you okay?" Kanan asked.

"I'm fine, Tybalt. Just a bit shaken. Thank you," Aversa replied as she limped off.

"Your leg," Ezra pointed out.

"It'll be fine. I'm going to go investigate some more. I'll tell Ismene what happened."

"Are you sure?" Kanan asked.

"I'm sure," Aversa repled.

When Aversa was gone, Kanan turned to Ezra. "We need to be careful. Aversa got lucky. If we're not careful, we won't."

Ezra was very nervous and rightfully so. This was only supposed to be a dinner party and a recon mission. No one was supposed to die.

As they kept moving, Ezra tried to think of who the murderer could be.

It had to be one of the guests. The cameras showed Ismene was right by the entrance cleaning up when the first murder took place. That also ruled out the possibility of a break in. It had to be one of the other guests.

Eden was the first to die, so it couldn't have been him.

One of the killer's traps nearly killed Skyle. The people at the party were intelligent. They wouldn't have set off their own traps. It couldn't have been Skyle.

Xander was a paranoid nerf herder, but he was a high-ranking officer in the Imperial Navy. HE had a lot to lose and nothing to gain by committing murder, especially the murder of his own aide. Even if he didn't, Eden was favored over Aversa. Why would Xander kill him?

Aversa? Sure, it could have been of jealousy, but Aversa had just contacted her, informing her of a trap that nearly killed her, which seemed similar to Skyle's case.

So, who was the killer?

Ezra sighed as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. This was getting more and more confusing by the minute.

* * *

Xander sighed as he stepped into the cool night air. He had winded up at a pool area surrounded by a fence. He wanted to cry out in relief when he saw that there was a fence he could climb.

He needed to do something before he left however.

He pulled out his comlink and pressed the SOS button, which would bring a whole battalion of Stormtroopers here by morning. When he was finished he smiled. Time to go.

Before Xander could take another step however, he felt a cold hand slam onto his shoulder. "I'm sorry," said a voice in a sing song voice, "but I can't let you escape."

Xander whipped around and gasped. In front of him, there was a figure with a cloak covered in blood. The figure wore a mask and underneath the mask, the figure had the eyes of a psychopath.

"Wait!" Xander cried out. "Hold on! You can't-"

* * *

It was around midnight when the group rejoined in the parlor. "Everyone okay?" Ismene asked.

Everyone nodded. "My leg's a little hurt but I think I'll be okay," Aversa replied. "Did anyone see Xander?"

No one answered.

"We should probably go find him," Skyle pointed out.

Deciding that outside was the best place to check, the guests headed towards the back door. There was no sign of Xander in the conservatory, nor in the outdoor game room.

When they reached the pool, everyone gasped. "Oh no…" Ezra muttered.

They found Xander floating in the pool, which had turned red from all the blood. The man had been stabbed numerous times, making him almost unrecognizable. His grey eyes stared into oblivion, and there was no life inside of him.

Ezra could only look on in shock. The murderer had claimed a second victim.

* * *

It was quiet in the parlor.

Everyone was deep in thought.

The silence, however, was broken by a beeping noise.

"The holo-projector's going off…" Ismene muttered.

She answered and found herself face to face with a stormtrooper commander.

 _"Is everything alright ma'am? We traced a distress signal to your location."_

Ezra could sense everyone's blood in the room grow cold.

"We had an incident, but we can handle it ourselves," Ismene replied.

 _"Not possible ma'am. We're going to have to investigate for foul play."_

"No," Ismene replied. "That's not necessary."

 _"We'll be by tomorrow morning at 0700 hours. Cutting transmission."_

The hologram flickered off.

Ismene began trembling with rage. "Who called the kriffing Stormtroopers?" she yelled.

Everyone looked at each other. Ezra closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as if he were warding off a bright light. "Xander…"

"That little…" Skyle growled. "I know he's dead, but I still want to punch him."

"Aversa?" Ismene asked, noticing the other woman's despair. "Are you okay?"

"I was supposed to take care of Xander…" Aversa sighed. "I failed…"

"It wasn't on you," Skyle comforted. "Whoever did this is going to answer."

"Well, we only have seven hours to do so," Ezra pointed out.

"I feel like we're missing something," Skyle began. "The killer booby trapped the entire place, right? Eden was the first to go. Then I nearly died to a trap."

"So did Aversa," Ezra added.

"Then Xander was killed," Skyle replied.

"Hold on…" Ismene muttered. "That order seems very familiar…" She left the room and came back a few minutes later with a datapad. She sat down on the chair and opened up a file.

 **Dinner Party Guest List**

 **Eden Lark**

 **Skyle Avery**

 **Aversa Corrin**

 **Xander Fyre**

 **Soren River**

 **Tybalt River**

"I knew it!" she gasped.

"Knew what?" Skyle asked.

"The killer is using some sort of pattern," Ismene replied. "He or she is killing down the list. If the killing fails, then it goes to the next person."

"The killer is making a game out of it…" Kanan breathed.

"So we're dealing with someone who enjoys killing…" Ezra mumbled. "Lovely…"

"Soren…" Skyle breathed. "If the killer's murdering down the list, you're next."

Kanan sucked in a breath. "Oh no…"

Skyle turned to Ezra "What…what should we do?" Skyle asked.

Ezra swallowed his panic. "Well, I'm not waiting it out. We're going to continue this."

"Soren," Kanan said. "I'm not risking your life."

"We're on the list next to each other," Ezra replied. "Dad, I'm sorry but it is probably safer with us splitting up. At least until I'm skipped or…"

"Soren, you're not dying."

"I'm not saying I am but if it happens, I don't want to take you with me."

"We're not splitting up," Kanan said sternly, his tone daring Ezra to talk back. "For all we know, it could skip both of us."

Ezra sighed. "Fine…"

The five remaining guests stood and moved into the living room. They stood there for a moment, contemplating their next move. Suddenly, a blaster bolt shot out of nowhere, but it didn't connect with anyone.

Everyone looked around, suddenly on guard. Ezra's hand reached out, hungry for a weapon, when he remembered he didn't have one.

Suddenly, a sickening crack ran out through the hallway. Ezra looked up and his eyes widened. The crystal chandelier Ezra saw on the way in was falling down, about to crash on top of him.

* * *

 _ **Rest in Peace Xander. You were a wonderful OC who served your purpose to the very end. Now, the question is, will it be RIP Ezra too?**_

 _ **...**_

 _ ***casually puts herself in time out***_


	7. The End?

_**Sorry for the wait. Without further ado, here's the answer to last chapter**_

* * *

"LOOK OUT!" Kanan screamed.

Ezra screamed and dove away from the chandelier as it crashed to the ground. Kanan heard the crash, and then nothing. "No!" Kanan yelled. He stumbled his way towards the other side of the chandelier, sighing in relief when he saw Ezra's signature still there.

Ezra was on the ground, breathing hard and trembling. The terror that he felt radiated through the Force like a tidal wave. Kanan didn't hesitate. He sat Ezra up and held him in a tight hug. Ezra was a shaking statue, completely in shock from his near death experience.

"It's okay," Kanan whispered, more to himself than anything. "You're okay."

"Where did that shot come from?" Ismene muttered. As if to answer her question, what resembled a probe droid shot out of nowhere and fired a few shots at Ismene. Ismene dodged the shots with ease.

"You're on the list too!" Aversa cried.

"No kidding!" Ismene yelled. "Get to the kitchen!"

Kanan grabbed Ezra and everyone took off into the kitchen and took cover. As they ran in, Ismene grabbed a large knife and ducked behind the counter. Aversa snagged a cutting board and the guests waited.

"Skyle," Kanan whispered. "Hide."

Skyle nodded and ducked into the pantry.

The droid floated into the kitchen and Ismene and Aversa sprang into action. Aversa smashed the droid against the wall and Ismene plunged the knife into it. The droid sputtered and sparked before powering down.

Aversa and Ismene looked at each other before bursting into laughter. "Skyle, come out," Ismene called. "The droid was the murderer. It's over."

Skyle opened up the pantry and smiled. "It's over?"

"I guess it is…" Ezra muttered, still slightly dazed.

"But how did a droid get in here?" Skyle asked.

"I don't know," Ismene replied. "I'll take a look at the programming of the droid. See how it got in. You guys do what you want. Just watch out for the remaining traps and don't leave. We may have to answer some questions when the Stormtroopers get here."

Kanan and Ezra left the area.

"Looks like Xander was right," Ismene said. "The murderer wasn't a guest after all." She turned and saw Skyle hanging back. "You're safe now Skyle," Ismene said with a smile. "You can go now."

"I think I'd rather stay here," Skyle chuckled.

"Same," Aversa replied.

"Okay. Do you want to help me out?" Ismene asked.

"Sure. I know a few things about mechanics," Skyle replied.

"Awesome."

The three women got to work on the droid.

* * *

Kanan and Ezra went as far as what looked like a lounge before stopping. Outside, there was what looked like an indoor garden, where music that sounded like it would play in a mall droned on.

"Are you okay?" Kanan asked as the moved Ezra towards the couch and sat him down.

Ezra nodded. "I'm okay. I'm just shaken up. I also think something's wrong…"

"What's wrong?"

Ezra paused for a moment, hesitant to go on.

Kanan placed an arm around Ezra's shoulder. "Ezra, we found who was doing the killings. It wasn't a guest like we all thought. It's over."

Ezra nodded. "I guess I just need some air. I'll be outside if you need me."

Kanan nodded. Ezra stood and left the room without another word.

* * *

As Ismene, Skyle, and Aversa analyzed the droid, Aversa gasped slightly and stumbled.

"Everything alright?" Skyle asked.

"Yeah," Aversa replied. "I'm going outside to get some air. I'll be right back."

Ismene nodded and she and Skyle got back to work. A few minutes later, Ismene turned towards the basement. "I'm going to go get some tools. I'll be right back."

When Ismene reached the basement, she looked down and gasped. There was a bloody cloak and mask on the ground that wasn't there before. She quickly turned and dashed towards where Skyle was.

"Skyle!" Ismene cried. "Skyle, it's not over!"

Aversa quickly dashed back inside. "What's going on?"

"The killer is still out there!" Ismene yelled. "We need to find Tybalt and Soren! They-"

Skyle looked at the droid and looked up at Ismene. Before Ismene could finish, the droid exploded. Skyle felt the flames engulf her. She felt her skin burning and melting. She felt her body getting knocked back. Then she felt nothing.

The explosion knocked Ismene and Aversa back. When it subsided, it left behind debris and the badly burned, almost unrecognizable body of Skyle Avery.

Ismene clamped her hand over her mouth. Shaking, she turned away from the grisly sight and towards where she saw Aversa run in. She was nowhere to be found.

"Dammit…" Ismene breathed. She pulled out her comlink and pressed the button.

"Tybalt? Tybalt, come in!"

* * *

Kanan stood, pulled out his comlink and answered. "Ismene? I heard something. What's going on?"

 _"There was an explosion. The droid who tried to kill us blew up. Skyle's dead."_

Kanan gasped. "Aversa?"

 _"It skipped her but she's nowhere to be found."_

"But that means… Oh no!"

* * *

Ezra sat on a bench inside the garden. Suddenly, he heard a loud rumbling noise. Ezra stood up and looked around. A few minutes later, he heard footsteps. He looked up and saw Aversa approaching him. "Aversa," Ezra cried. "Are you alright?"

Aversa looked at Ezra. "Soren," she began, "there was an explosion. Skyle's dead."

Ezra gasped and felt a pang of remorse. "What do you mean dead? That means you're next!"

"No," Aversa replied. "It skipped me. The explosion nearly got me too."

"But that means…" Ezra's voice trailed off. The Force whispered a warning and Ezra took a few steps back.

Aversa smiled psychotically. "You're next."

* * *

Kanan made a mad dash, sensing his way through the conservatory when he heard a loud and painfully familiar scream. Kanan forgot his cover, forgot everything. The only thing running though his head was the need to get to Ezra. "Ezra!" Kanan yelled. He ran as fast as he could, letting the Force guide him to Ezra's location. The eerily upbeat music droned on and on, driving Kanan mad as he approached Ezra's location. When he found Ezra, he sucked in a breath. He ran towards Ezra and knelt down next to him. His knees landed in something warm and wet and metallic smelling.

Ezra was curled up in a pool of blood.

* * *

 ** _RIP Skyle. You were my second favorite OC I created for this story. Leave you kind words in the comments as we mourn the loss of Skyle Avery. (And possibly Ezra)_**


	8. The Murderer Unmasked

**_I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I guess I writing crazy people.  
_**

* * *

Kanan wanted to shriek when he realized what the liquid he was kneeling in was. He gathered Ezra into his arms and pulled the beanie off of Ezra's head, pressing it against the wound in his abdomen. "Kanan…" Ezra whimpered.

"You're going to be okay," Kanan said softly. "Just hang on."

"Kanan…" Ezra whispered, obviously trying to stay conscious. "Aversa…killer…you're…next…"

"Aversa…" Kanan muttered as it dawned on him. "She…"

"So," Aversa said as she approached Kanan. "Tybalt, you've figured it out."

"You're smart," Kanan growled. "I'll give you that. How did you get the droid in?"

"I found one," Aversa sneered. "As I was roaming the house, I found an old probe droid lying in storage. I happen to be an excellent mechanic. My main goal was to kill Eden. He always had Fyre's favor, and I hated him for it. But after Eden, I couldn't stop there. Spilling blood is rather…addicting and surprisingly fun. Then I figured, why not make a game out of it? I had the droid booby trap the house and I made sure the guests died in the order of the guest list. It was so fun watching you squirm."

"You mean you injured yourself on purpose? Why would you do that?"

"To get you off my scent. When the droid was taken out, which I helped with to again, get you off of my scent, I couldn't let the droid's memory be recovered. I prepared for that you see? You'd be shocked what household items can do if you know how to use them."

Aversa drew a knife coated with Ezra's blood and smiled. "I skipped myself when Skyle was killed in the explosion. Your kid doesn't look like he's going to last much longer either."

Kanan felt anger seep into his veins. Sure enough, Ezra's Force signature was getting fainter and fainter and the boy was slowly going limp in his arms. The beanie Kanan was using to staunch the flow of blood was becoming soaked. Aversa was right. Ezra was running out of time.

Kanan could sense the insanity seeping off of Aversa's signature. "I guess that means you're next," Aversa sneered.

Kanan sensed Aversa raise the knife. He held Ezra close and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, kid…" Kanan whispered.

However, before that could happen, the sound of a blaster going off rang through his ears.

Ismene lowered her smoking blaster as Aversa stiffened and slipped to the ground. Kanan looked up, shocked. She approached Kanan and eyed the dying boy in his arms. "Are you alright, Kanan?"

Kanan raised an eyebrow. "How do you know my real name?"

"I'll explain later. We only have an hour to get out of here before the Empire gets here. Call Hera and tell her to get down here."

"How do you know Hera's name? You're with the Empire, right?" Kanan desperately wanted a blaster at the moment.

"No," Ismene replied. "I'm not."

"Why should I trust you?"

Ismene gave Kanan a cold hard stare even though she knew he couldn't see it. "Because I'm the only chance Ezra has."

Kanan growled softly. "Fine." He slid the arm he was using to hold Ezra up to his shoulder and eased his other arm under Ezra's knees.

"We need to hurry," Ismene stated. "That's wound's pretty bad. We only have a few minutes until he bleeds out. I have a second basement with medical supplies. Follow me."

Kanan nodded. "Hang on, Ezra," Kanan whispered to his unconscious padawan. "You're going to be okay. Just hang on." He then turned to Ismene. "If this is a trap," he warned.

Ismene growled in frustration and cut him off. "Look, Jarrus. If I wanted you dead, I would have let Aversa kill you. That, and I'm fairly certain that you don't know anything the Empire doesn't know already."

Kanan sighed. "Fair enough." He followed Ismene out of the garden, past the main hall and Skyle's charred remains, and stopping in front of what he perceived to be a wall."

"A wall?" Kanan asked.

Ismene slammed her fist against the wall several times, and to Kanan's surprise, the door squeaked and rumbled. "As you saw earlier," Ismene said, "I have my secrets?"

"That's a door?" Kanan asked, shocked.

"Obviously," Ismene replied as she stepped in.

"Not to me," Kanan reminded.

"Before you say anything else, I know more than just your name. Hera told me everything. We're old friends, her and me."

"Hera never mentioned you," Kanan mentioned as they dashed down the steps, the door closing behind them.

"Because I didn't want her to. I'll explain everything later. Right now, we need to get Ezra's wound to stop bleeding."

They reached the bottom of the basement. Ismene turned on the power. The lights hummed to life and the medical equipment lit up. Kanan sensed a bed nearby and placed Ezra on top of it. Ezra was cold, too cold. His signature was barely there now. A hole was starting to open up to swallow the light that was Ezra. Kanan was panicking now. His heart was pounding and his palms were sweating.

At least Ismene had a clear head. As Kanan watched Ismene's life force move back and forth across the room, he felt completely helpless. He was no medic. Ezra and Hera were the medics and Ezra was in no shape to stitch up his own wound. Ezra was dying and Kanan could do _nothing._ Kanan heard some thumping noises as Ismene hooked up some equipment to the injured boy on the bed. Ismene sucked in a breath and swore.

"Ismene?" Kanan asked.

Ismene rushed towards a cabinet and pulled out some defibrillators. A small, faint beep filled the air and Kanan's eyes widened. Ismene had hooked him up to what was obviously a heart monitor, but the equipment had to be old. Why else would it take so long to find a pulse? Unless…

"Kanan, get over here," Ismene called. "We're losing him!"

* * *

 _ **I'm being naughty again aren't I? Oh well. *puts myself back in time out***_


	9. Evacuation Complications

_**Hey everybody! This is my last prewritten chapter and I'm very busy this week so the next update may be a bit slow. To apologize for this, I decided to do review replies! (PS. Anyone else watch the episode on Saturday! I KNEW IT! Also looking forward to next Saturday's episode!) One more thing! Bread Points to those who can guess the origins and/or symbolism behind the OCs' names.**_

 _ **Rebel Spectre 6: I don't know? Will Ezra live? Will Ezra die? It's a mystery within a mystery! :)**_

 _ **Geccarenee13: Thanks!**_

 _ **MafiStory: I'm being very bad with the cliffies lately aren't I?**_

 _ **Cassturn93: I still have three weeks to redeem myself! Besides, if I get coal, I can cook a burger.**_

 _ **rebekahtpe: I don't know. With the midseason finale footage I've been seeing, I might be beat to it.**_

 _ **Rebels-lover: There there. It will be okay. *hands you virtual cookie***_

 _ **Specter14: Don't worry. I confused myself several times while writing this. If you need clarification, feel free to PM me. :)**_

 _ **Midnight Luna: I'm sure you're great! *hands Inner Fangirl chocolate to wash the soap out* And** **$ &#?!% is right!  
**_

 _ **LordSkyJacker: Why yes. Yes I do. :) *casually hides hair under beanie***_

 _ **Lenovo416: Thanks! :) You're right. No one stabs Ezra and gets away with it.  
**_

 _ **EvilMindedZ: Thanks! And I drew inspiration from many sources. :) And it was just Aversa's leg that got pinned under the statue.**_

* * *

Kanan felt his blood run cold when Ismene spoke. He felt like a zombie, except zombies didn't feel the pain that came with being unable to cry.

"Kanan!" Ismene yelled. Warning beeps filled the room, and Kanan stood quickly. Ismene guided him to a chair and sat him down. "What's your blood type?" she asked.

"I think it is O negative," Kanan replied.

"Good," Ismene replied. "Ezra is A negative. I need you to donate some blood."

"Will it save him?"

Ismene sighed. "I don't know, but I prefer a 50-50 shot to no shot at all." Kanan nodded and rolled up his sleeve. He felt something cold and wet rub onto his arm, followed by a sharp prick. In the next few minutes, he began to feel dizzy.

"Is it working?" Kanan slurred.

"I don't know," Ismene replied, but I can only give him so much more of your blood and I can't give him mine because I'm B positive. Not a good match."

A few more heart pounding minutes passed before Ismene removed the tube and bandaged Kanan's arm. "Ismene?" Kanan asked nervously.

"I stitched up the wound and put a bacta patch over it. Your blood did the trick Kanan. I think he's going to be okay."

Kanan sighed in relief. He tried to stand, but Ismene placed a hand on his shoulder. "Not yet," she said. "I had to take quite a bit of blood. I'll call Hera."

"What about the Empire?"

"We still have half an hour, but we may be stuck here a while. Hopefully Hera's close."

Ismene stood up and headed towards a holoprojector in the corner of the room. She dialed a code and a few seconds later, Hera's worried face appeared. " _Ismene? What's wrong? Where are Kanan and Ezra? They didn't check in."_

Ismene sighed. "We had an incident. Kanan, Ezra, and I are the only ones left here."

 _"The others?"_ Hera asked.

Ismene shook her head. "Dead."

 _"Oh stars…"_ Hera breathed.  "What happened? Are Kanan and Ezra okay?"

"They'll be fine but you need to get down here and fast. Ezra is seriously injured. I was able to stabilize him but I don't know how long it will last. Kanan had to give some blood so he's not really up for any fighting and the Empire's on their way."

Hera nodded. _"I'm coming. Just be ready to move."_

Ismeme walked towards Kanan. "Can you walk?"

"I think so," Kanan replied. "Are we leaving?"

Ismene nodded. "We're leaving. We just have to move quickly."

"Can Ezra be safely moved?" Kanan asked.

"He should be. Does your ship have a medkit?"

"It does," Kanan replied.

"Then let's go."

Kanan carried Ezra carefully to avoid aggravating his injuries, dizziness washing over him in waves. They made their way up the stairs and were almost to the door when Ismene stopped suddenly, causing Kanan to almost crash into her. "What is it?" he asked.

"They're early…"

"Karabast…" Kanan muttered. "How did they get through the door? I thought the panel was shot."

"They must have cut it open. The basement walls are soundproof, which is why we didn't hear it."

Ismene stared at the security monitor where she was getting the footage. Skyle's body was covered in a tarp and two Stormtroopers were speaking to an officer.

"They found Skyle…" Ismene whispered.

"They probably found the others too…" Kanan growled. "What are we going to do? Hera's going to be landing any minute."

Ismene sighed. "I'd hate to do this, but we really don't have a choice."

"What are you planning?" Kanan asked.

"We're going to have to engage," Ismene said. "It's the only choice we have. Come back down here for a second?"

"Why?" Kanan asked.

"Kanan," Ismene began. "You can't fight because you are short on blood and you have Ezra. You need to trust me. Can you do that?"

"Ismene, I trust you, but what are you doing?"

"Can I trust you not to stop no matter what happens to me?"

Kanan's eyes widened when he realized what Ismene planned to do.

"Ismene, no!"

"Kanan, answer me!" Ismene said firmly. "Can I trust you?"

Kanan nodded, shutting his eyes tightly. "Yes. You can trust me."

Ismene pulled out her blaster and took a deep breath. "Ready?" she asked.

"I'm ready."

"When I open this door, run and don't stop."

Kanan nodded once more. "You'll make it onto the ship, right?"

Ismene turned to Kanan. "Don't worry Kanan. I'll be right behind you."

Kanan didn't know why, but he had a gut-wrenching feeling that Ismene was lying.

* * *

As Hera swooped down from in the _Phantom II_ , her heart was pounding. It had been a good half hour since she last spoke with Ismene. A lot can change in half an hour. She nervously turned on the commlink. " _Phantom II_ to Spectre-1, do you copy?"

There was only static.

"Spectre-1, come in!"

Hera began to panic. Did the Empire block communications? Were Kanan and Ismene trying to get themselves and Ezra out and didn't hear the comm go off? Or…

Hera punched the accelerator, desperate to get to the surface before it was too late.

Ismene took a deep breath and opened the door. When the door shrieked, the Stormtroopers immediately turned their weapons in the direction of the sound. "Who's there?" one of them yelled. Ismene took a deep breath and shot one of the Stormtroopers. He fell to the ground and the others immediately opened fire. Kanan adjusted his hold on Ezra and took off. As Ismene shot down Stormtrooper after Stormtrooper, Kanan suddenly heard something that nearly made him laugh with joy. The sound of the _Phantom II_ 's engines rumbled outside of the mansion. Hera had arrived.

As the ship hovered outside of the door, Kanan dove into the Force and dove towards where he sensed the ship. The door opened, revealing Hera, who assisted in shooting down the troopers. "Come on!" Hera yelled. Kanan made a running jump into the ship and landed smoothly. "Lay him down!" Hera ordered. Kanan did as he was told, laying his padawan down on the seats. He frantically wiped his hands on his pants and turned in the general direction of the open hatch. "Ismene!" he yelled. "Ismene, let's go!"

The Stormtroopers began firing on the _Phantom II_ as Ismene ran towards it as she leapt on board. One shot grazed the bottom of the ship and it rocked violently, sending Ismene spiraling to the ground.

"Ismene!" Hera screamed.

* * *

 _ **Oops! I did it again! Honestly, Ismene's fate has been an eternal battle since I started planning this story. Good Bread Thief wanted me to keep her alive for future use. Bad Bread Thief wants Ismene dead. Which Bread Thief won? Find out next time! MWAHAHAHAHA! *hides***_


	10. When The Dinner Is Done

_**Hey all! I'm back! Without further ado, here we go!**_

* * *

Ismene hit the ground with a loud thud. Kanan thought quickly, leaping down from the _Phantom II_ and grabbing Ismene. He slung her over his shoulder and leapt back onto the ship. Hera quickly closed the ship's doors and shot away. Kanan set Ismene on the seat across from Ezra. "Is she okay?" Hera asked. He then collapsed onto the floor, the world spinning.

Kanan examined Ismene with the Force for a moment. "She's fine. Just got knocked out." As Kanan said so, Ismene groaned and opened her eyes. "Ouch…" she muttered as she sat up. While Kanan got Ismene an ice pack, Hera turned to Ezra. Her eyes widened at the sight. Ezra was deathly pale. He was _covered_ in blood and his face was tense, as if he were in pain. "Will he be okay?" Hera asked as she examined the injury.

"Kanan gave some blood," Ismene replied. "It's a temporary fix, but he isn't stable yet."

"You said he'd be okay!" Kanan snapped.

"And how would you have reacted if I told you the truth?" Ismene replied. "Besides, he should be okay if we get him proper treatment."

Kanan sighed, knowing full well Ismene was right. "Are we there yet?" he asked.

"We still have another hour to Atollon," Hera asked as she fumbled through a cabinet. She offered Kanan some pills and water. "This should help the dizziness," she replied. Kanan nodded and took the pills and instantly felt better. Hera then began cleaning the blood off of Ezra and treating him. As she worked, Kanan decided to ask Ismene some questions.

"How did you get into the rebellion?"

Ismene sighed and spoke. "I was sixteen. My mother died giving birth to me. My father was an Imperial officer. He wasn't all that bad though. He was actually kind to the people, helping them out where he could. My father had a heart of gold, always sticking his neck out for others. However, that eventually got him into trouble. In the town where I grew up, the Empire didn't like nice. So, one day, he got sick after a banquet. Some bad case of rare food poisoning."

"What a coincidence…" Hera murmured.

"Exactly what I thought," Ismene replied. "I discreetly began finding ways to fight back. I met Hera while I was on vacation. She hooked me up with Senator Organa. He got me a nice house and I got recon from house guests."

"So, you did house parties before?"

"No, I usually do guests and that's it. This one's my first one and it wasn't set up by Organa."

Hera raised an eyebrow. "It wasn't? Do you know who it was?"

"All I knew was I was to throw this dinner party. I didn't even know Kanan and Ezra were rebels." Ismene turned to Kanan. "Do you know who sent you to the party?"

Kanan shook his head. "It was a contact we had been using for a while, but many of them are anonymous."

"That means there's another senator on our side," Hera pointed out.

Despite the condition of the half dead teenager, the situation brightened slightly with the good news.

* * *

Being stabbed wasn't a walk in the park.

As Ezra laid there on the cold concrete, he could feel the blood encircle him. He could feel it soak his clothes, his skin, his hair. The more blood he lost, the colder he felt. Soon, he began to lose feeling in his fingertips and toes and he began struggling to think, to breathe. Every thought hurt. Every breath was a battle. He laid there for what felt like forever before he heard someone yell his name. He registered arms lift him up and Ezra felt himself being pressed against something warm. He heard talking, but couldn't process the words. He heard the sound of a blaster firing. He suddenly felt weightless and safe. The last thing he remembered before the warm and empty waters of sleep claimed him was Kanan's voice. _"Hang on, Ezra. You're going to be okay. Just hang on."_

Ezra assumed he was dying. That was what extreme blood loss did. So why was he getting flashes of memory? Was this what happened when someone died? A heart monitor faded into blaster fire, which faded into voices, which faded into a muffled sound, as if he were underwater. Slowly, the life trickled back into his body.

* * *

 _"He'll live."_

That was the news Kanan wanted to hear. The medical droid was next to the bed that Ezra was laying on. Kanan rested his hand on Ezra's head, the padawan's hair still damp from the bacta tank they had to stick him in for about half an hour to let what little internal damage there was heal.

 _"The patient is very lucky,"_ the droid continued. _"Based on the details given to me, had Curtis not performed the emergency surgery, Bridger would have been dead within less than an hour. Now if you'll excuse me, I must tend to other patients."_

It was silent as the crew of the _Ghost_ plus Ismene sat in the medbay, waiting for Ezra to regain consciousness. "So you're joining Pheonix Squadron?" Kanan asked.

Ismene smiled. "I guess I am."

"What happened?" Kanan turned towards the voice and sensed Sabine's pink signature in the corner.

"A serial killer crashed our party," Ismene replied.

"There was a women, Aversa Corrin," Kanan explained, "who was crazy. She killed two of the guests personally while she set up traps that killed another. She stabbed Ezra. If it weren't for Ismene, he would have died." Kanan sounded distant, hollow even. He was still in shock that he let such a thing occur.

"Kanan and Ezra's blood were compatible. I was able to perform a transfusion. It saved his life."

"I guess you two are blood related now," Zeb said lightly.

Kanan smiled despite himself. "I guess we kind of are." He then turned towards where he sensed Ismene. "Welcome to the family."

Ismene smiled. "Glad to be here, Kanan."

* * *

 _A few hours later…_

Ezra woke with a start. Of course, he regretted it completely when a searing pain ripped through his side. He hissed in pain and a gentle hand pressed on his shoulder, lowering him back onto the bed.

"Careful," a voice warned. "Stab wounds and sudden movements don't mix."

Ezra sighed. "Yeah," he said bluntly, "I noticed. What time is it?"

Kanan chuckled, relieved that his padawan's sense of humor was still in tact. "It's a little after midnight."

"Are we home?"

"If by home, you mean back on the base, then yes."

"Ismene?"

"Ismene's fine. She's joining Pheonix Squadron. Aversa's dead. She almost killed me after I got to you but Ismene shot her." Kanan sighed. "Ezra, I'm sorry. I should have realized something was up."

"We all thought it was safe. Heck, I thought is was safe, right up until I got stabbed anyway. Aversa was good at what she did."

"Almost too good," Kanan added. "At least we're alive though…"

"To be honest, I wish today never happened at all, but that's just me."

Kanan laughed. "At least we got some good recon out of it."

"That's a plus," Ezra yawned, exhaustion starting to overcome him.

Kanan's face softened. "Get some rest. I'll be right here."

Ezra nodded and his eyes fluttered shut. Kanan knew right then and there, that Ezra would be okay. The killer was caught. The dinner was done.

* * *

 _ **Next chapter will be the epilogue then we will wrap this project up! But hey! I didn't kill Ezra or Ismene! It's because I'm such a nice person! Right? *Suddenly unsure* Right?**_


	11. Epilogue

_**This is it everyone! This is the epilogue! Hope you enjoy.**_

* * *

 _Holonet News Broadcast_

 _24 Hours after the Incident at Curtis Estate_

 _This is Holonet News with a special report from Naboo, where a tragedy has occurred. Four people at the Curtis Estate have been found dead. The dead include Xander Fyre, his two attendants, Aversa Corrin and Eden Lark, and Skyle Avery. These deaths have confirmed to be results of foul play, and although it has been confirmed that Aversa Corrin, assistant to Commander Xander Fyre and one of the victims, was responsible for the deaths of Fyre and Lark, it is unknown what cause the death of Skyle Avery, who was burned beyond recognition and had to be identified through dental records. Corrin was found dead in the conservatory with a single blaster wound to the back. Blood that belonged to known rebel and Padawan Ezra Bridger was also discovered, although his fate and role in the incident is unclear, as investigators found a transfusion needle with rebel and Jedi fugitive Kanan Jarrus's blood inside. It is unclear whether Corrin was a rebel or not. We also don't know if Corrin was responsible for wounding Bridger, but reports have confirmed that Jarrus and Ismene fled the scene with an injured Bridger after exchanging blaster fire with our brave Stormtroopers. They fled with the assistance of rebel pilot Hera Syndulla. More information will be provided as this story develops. The current location of the rebels is unknown, but if seen, please report the sighting to the Imperial Security Bureau. Failure to comply is punishable by death. To serve the Empire is a privilege not to be taken for granted._

 _Alton Kastle, Holonet News_

 ** _And we are officially done! Thank you to everyone who reviews, favorited, followed or just plain read. I appreciate every last one of you! As for my next story, I have a few ideas in the works! Thanks for reading!_**

 ** _Thief, out!_**


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